Bubbles
by Vonna Plum
Summary: [Oneshot][RoyxRiza Friendship][Younger Roy and Riza] Roy's blowing bubbles, mourning and being metaphorical, and it's up to Riza to set him back on the right track again [R&R][miniscule amount of Fluff][Sweet...I guess...][Flames Welcome]


_Disclaimer: FMA was never mine, is not mine now, and never will be mine.  
Warnings: Slight swearing (like, 2 words man), and...a flashback, if you people don't like flashbacks. If you look at like, one sentence a certain way, it implies rape, but otherwise, this fic is pretty clean. I'm thinking a K+...  
Rating: K+...  
Type: Oneshot, RoyxRiza Friendship...It's when they're younger...Flashback when they're ten...ish, present probably twelve-ish. Tiny tiny bit of Fluff, coz they're twelve, I can't put this full on fluff thing in, it'd be weird..._

_OK! Now that my new beginning thing is outta the way, this was inspired by that one time back in September when I was blowing bubbles while lying on my bed, also when I was thinking about popping all the balloons at this Soiree I was attending, just as a prank, I never did it in the end. It was covered in bubble rings, and I had to wipe it a bit. It's when they're young, like I said, first time I've done that so far. It's written in a more childish way. 'Coz...Riza's narrating, and she's twelve...need I say more?_

_Self beta-ed 4 times, I had to re-read it so many times because each time I just added in too much and had to go through it again._

_So yeah, Enjoy! R&R!_

-x-

His back was facing me, as I stood behind him in an old office, not quite sure how to handle the strange situation. The office chair he sat in creaked slightly as he sat back a little more. Just by looking at the back of his head, I could tell he was smiling, even though his mind was probably thinking the deepest of thoughts. Above him were bubbles that floated serenely towards the roof, or back down to the ground, popping when they're time came.

"Bubbles are very much like us, don't you agree?" His voice called out to me, having sensed my presence long ago. He always had a knack for sensing my presence. I wanted to reply to him in some witty form of an answer, but no such answer came.

"Uhh…I guess so…" I replied awkwardly, it wasn't like me to be so awkward, and it wasn't like him to act so childish (actually…it's very him to act childish…). How could I sooth this boy in front of me when he needed me most? I was never one for feelings and in the end; all I could really do is pat him on the back (awkwardly). Oh yes, I'm _very_ good like that when it comes to soothing people when they're dad's just died.

"Bubbles are so cool, how they float and stuff. You know, defy gravity? I could sit here and watch them all day, but as soon as I sink in their pretty-ness, and figure out what the swirly colours are on them, they pop." He sighed to himself. Again, I had no answer; I had absolutely no reply to say back to him, so silence replied for me.

"Riza-chan?" He called to me. My eye twitched slightly at the honorific at the end of my name, but I had long given up trying to stop him. Still, that didn't mean it doesn't bug me anymore.

"Y-yes, Roy…-kun?" I replied, hesitating slightly, he always wanted me to add '-kun' to the end of his name, never really understood why, but I did it for him just this once because I think it might sooth him a little bit. It felt really weird; it's usually just 'Roy'.

"Why do the bubbles pop, just when I start to appreciate them?" I caught onto his drift quickly; he was of course asking me between the lines, 'why did dad die when I just started to become grateful of his existence?' I didn't know he was so metaphorical.

"I…" I cursed myself for being so useless. I never was one for emotions. Heck, Roy's more emotional and soothing than me. Kinda sad seeing as _I'm _the girl here…

Then it came to me.

"Roy…-kun…I think that if you blow the bubbles directly above you, and they pop, the remaining shiny-bubbly-liquid falls straight down onto you." I explained with a little hinting tone in my voice.

"You mean…you think…my dad wants me to join the military?" Roy questioned quizzically, Roy turned in his dad's old office chair to face me, and I noticed dried glazes of tears down his cheeks.

"Uhh, not really…it's more like, he's passing down all that talent in Alchemy and all the wonderful things that made him the awesome person he was…" I pointed at a bubble that was directly above him and waited for it to pop before it continued, when it popped, I followed its liquid-y remains down so that I was now pointing to Roy, "to you." I smiled weakly.

_Phew_- who knew being soothing took such a toll on you? You need the right tone, the right words, the right facial expression…

Roy stayed silent for a moment before speaking up,

"Thanks, Riza-chan." Roy flashed a lopsided grin at me. We both fell back into the silence again. It wasn't the awkward silence that usually takes place between us; it was a very comfortable one. I watched Roy's grin fizzle down to a little frown. Roy's face was very pensive, kinda scared me, I've never seen him think this much. Erm…I mean…it's not like he doesn't think, but…oh you know, he's usually just the impulsive guy he usually is, so it's kinda weird seeing him so serious…

"Riza-chan…?" I tried my hardest to keep my eye from twitching while he was looking at me. That '-chan' gets on my nerves so bad…

"Yes, Roy…" I hesitated again, "…-kun?"

"I'm going to make dad proud."

"How?"

"I'm gonna study up real hard on Alchemy, like, full on study _hard_, and practice _hard_, and become a State Alchemist—"

"—But that's—" I tried to interrupt him, but he just cut over me again.

"—And I'm gonna change the way the military's run, so that no one gets executed without a fair trial and stuff. No one's gonna be killed unfairly like m'dad once I accomplish that!" Roy said determinedly. He was of course referring to how his dad was executed even though Roy himself had witnessed and knew his dad didn't do it. But family and friends weren't much of a help in these cases, stupid military…

I thought hard about what he wanted to accomplish. It sounded absolutely crazy, but the idea behind it was something that had to be done, I totally agree with his idea... but in order for Roy to gain enough power to something like that, he's gonna have to get a lotta influence…maybe climb the ranks of the military…? It's a lotta work, and personally, I don't think Roy has the commitment to do that much. I always seem to be the one keeping him in line, like that time he had to do his project and he planned from the beginning to do it at the last minute…Anyway, it's totally insane, I know Roy had a lot of interest in Alchemy and a bit of a talent, but really, 'State Alchemist'? And the fact that he wants all that power too…he'll probably have to sweet talk his way to the top, always had a good way with words and stuff…not that I'd ever tell—

"Riza-chan?" I was snapped out of my thoughts immediately.

"Yeah…?"

"Will you help me with it…?" I forced down a smirk, I knew that question would pop up soon.

"Yeah…sure…" I said, "I owe you one." He had, after all, saved me from those freaky mobsters trying to kidnap me, god knows why…hold me hostage maybe?

**Flashback ((You know you love these))**

"_C'arn pretty girl, we've got tonnes of things to 'play' with at our house…" The man sneered._

"_N-no, g-get lo-st!" I tried my hardest to fend them off, but I was against a wall, fat chance I could get them to leave me alone…I probably sounded like a scaredy-cat, damn it! I am a scaredy-cat, I'm so freaked out I can't even cry or scream._

"_C'arn, we insist!" His friend reached out to grab my arm._

"_Leave 'er alone, ya low lives!" A boy's voice called out from behind them. _

_I looked around to see a boy my age with black hair and black eyes. He was holding two bags full of groceries, he wore a thick jumper with a hood on the back to keep him warm, but a pair of pants that only went halfway down his shins. His mum probably forced the jumper onto him. And what kinda mum in their right mind would send their kid out to get groceries at this time of night anyway? And I'm only out here coz I was putting the trash out in the alleyway for my much-more-safety-conscious mum. She didn't know there were mobsters out here, of course._

"_What you gonna do, squirt? Dob on us?" The man holding my arm taunted._

"_I gotta bag o' heavy stuff, and I'm not afraid to use it!" The black haired boy warned with a glare._

"_Holy crap, Kev," The first man said sarcastically, "We better run for it now!"_

"_I warned you." And with that the boy rushed forward and swung the bag full of god knows what at the first man's face. There was a cracking sound and milk splashed out into the first man's face._

"_Argh! You little brat!" He gasped, wiping milk out of his eyes._

"_You 'right man? You just got owned by a squirt." 'Kev' taunted to his friend. I felt more confident with this boy helping me out so I took advantage of the situation. This is what they teach you in 'Dealing with Strangers 101'!_

_I spun him around to face me again with a hard jerk and kicked him as hard as I could right where it hurts most. Bwahahahaha…Take that!_

"_ARGH!!! HOLY MOTHER OF FUCK!!!" The man released my arm and doubled over in the pain. _

_They didn't put me in the football (1) team for nothing!_

"_Damn, I got milk in m' eyes!"_

"_Quick, come on!" The boy urged, I ran to him and we quickly ran off to where ever he was leading me. He led me to a late-hours bookshop. He greeted the shopkeeper like they had been close friends since forever. Smart guy, this is the safest place with an adult hanging around…_

_**End Flashback ((Quickly! Back to the present!))**_

He saved my life, and his crazy plan was bound to bring him trouble…I guess I really do owe him.

"Is it a promise?" Roy asked, just to be sure probably.

"Yes it's a promise," I reassured him.

"Can you swear on it?" My god, Roy, I promised, ain't that enough?

"Ok ok," I drew in a huge breath while rolling my eyes and holding up my right palm, wait, was it right or left? I can't remember…oh well… "I, Elizabeth Hawkeye, will help Roy to—"

"Roy Mustang." Roy corrected with a smile. I glared at him and picked up where I left it.

"—Roy _Mustang_ to become Fuhrer," I mumbled 'or something' under my breath before continuing, "and become a State Alchemist in any way I can." I finished. Roy grinned at me. It's good to see him happy and all again.

"Thank you…" Roy thanked, still grinning.

"Just 'thank you'? I just swore off all my free time to help you with it crazy idea, what about the football? And — oi, wipe that crazy smirk off yo—"

I was cut off when Roy suddenly launched forward right towards me, before I could tell him to back off; I was trapped between arms as he bear hugged me.

"Thank you so much, Riza-chan," Roy grinned down at me, I hate it how he's taller than me! Roy grinned wider when he noticed my tiny tiny _miniscule _blush, so small it wasn't like I was blushing just coz he was hugging me.

"Why Riza, I didn't know I had that kinda effect on you," He taunted with a sly voice, his grin turning into an evil smirk.

"Shut up, you caught me off guard and…and…you…you baka!" I shot back defensively and glaring as hard as I could, even though I could feel the heat on my cheeks. Argh! I hate being a girl sometimes!

"I'm gonna go look up Alchemy books in the library!" With that, Roy's teasing and impulsive hug suddenly ended and he zoomed out the door, already stuck into the whole Alchemy idea. Wow, I've never seen him so committed.

I stood in the room for a few lingering seconds before looking back at the letter that now sat on the chair Roy was previously occupying.

"_Do me proud, Roy, even when I'm dead._

_Dad._"

-x-

(1) By this, I mean soccer, but I kinda picture Roy and Riza in England (as in Amestris is in England or Europe…maybe…), not Australia or something, so…Football it is, I guess…

_I've put this fic off long enough (just look at the written dates below), a friend of mine was all like..."you gotta put another story on!", so I was like, "yeah, ok...". So here I am, blabbing away, putting this story up..._

_She dared me to write something longer than everything else I've written. I'm too much of a one-shot person apparently. So maybe you'll expect me to pull off a long fanfic...one day... Anyway, Hope you liked, Review please, reviewww!!!!_

_Vonna. P._

_Originally Written: 23__rd__ September 2007  
__Flashback Written and Beta-ed: 7__th__ October 2007_


End file.
